HEALTH

Clinical Commissioning Groups

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors were given a greater weighting than previously when calculating the allocation of funds to commissioning groups; and what factors were given a lesser weighting.

Daniel Poulter: Responsibility for resource allocation is a matter for NHS England as set out in The Mandate. For 2013-14, NHS England opted for a uniform increase in funding to all clinical commissioning groups to give these new organisations stability in their first year, and agreed to undertake a fundamental review into its approach to allocations.
	The review is progressing, and the aim is for initial conclusions to be ready in time to inform 2014-15 allocations. It is anticipated that NHS England will be in a position to announce these in late December 2013.

Doctors: Hampshire

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital and community health service doctors were employed by the NHS in Hampshire in (a) the latest period for which figures are available and (b) 2010.

Daniel Poulter: The information is not available in the format requested. Information on the number of medical and dental staff in national health service organisations in Hampshire is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Hospital and community health services: Medical and dental staff in NHS organisations in Hampshire, provisional statistics 
			 Full-time equivalent 
			  July 2010 July 2013 
			 Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Groups * 0 
			 Hampshire Primary Care Trust 58 — 
			 Isle of Wight NHS Trust * 237 
			 University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust 995 1,082 
			 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 726 779 
			 Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 277 585 
			 Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust 184 228 
			 ‘0’ denotes more than zero, less than one. ‘*’denotes not applicable. ‘—’ denotes zero. Notes: 1. As from 21 July 2010 the HSCIC has published experimental, provisional monthly NHS work force data (experimental tag has been removed from 24 April 2012). As expected with provisional data, some figures may be revised from month to month as issues are uncovered and resolved. The monthly work force data is not directly comparable with the annual work force census; it only includes those staff on the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) (i.e. it does not include primary care staff or bank staff). There are also new methods of presenting data (headcount methodology is different and there is now a role count). 2. HSCIC seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where changes impact on figures already published, this is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) Medical and Dental Workforce Census.

Hospital Beds: North East

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital beds there were in the North East in each of the last three years.

Jane Ellison: The average daily number of available beds in the former North East Strategic Health Authority area in 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 North East Strategic Health Authority area 
			  Average daily number of beds open overnight Average daily number of beds open daytime only 
			 2010-11 9,621 836 
			 2011-12 9,740 796 
			 2012-13 9,579 805 
			 Notes: 1. The NHS England KH03 is a quarterly collection of data from all national health service organisations that operate beds, open overnight or day only, both providers and commissioners. It collects the total number of available bed days and the total number of occupied bed days by consultant main specialty, for general and acute, learning disabilities, maternity and mental illness. The data are published as the average daily number of available and occupied beds which is calculated by dividing the number of bed days in the quarter by the number of days in the quarter. 2. Prior to 2010-11 the KH03 was an annual return collecting beds by ward classification. It also included data on residential care beds. Source: NHS England KH03 return

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations were cancelled in the North East in each of the last three years.

Jane Ellison: The number of last minute cancelled elective operations for non-clinical reasons in the former North East Strategic Health Authority area in 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 North East Strategic Health Authority area 
			  Number of last minute elective operations cancelled for non-clinical reasons Number of patients not treated within 28 days of last minute elective cancellation 
			 2010-11 2,283 54 
			 2011-12 2,449 38 
			 2012-13 2,268 51 
			 Note: NHS England collects the number of operations cancelled at the ‘last minute’ for non-clinical reasons on a quarterly basis. It does not collect the total number of cancelled operations or a breakdown of the type of operations that have been cancelled. Operations cancelled for clinical reasons are not collected as the patient is not available for the operation. A last minute cancellation is defined as when a patient's operation is cancelled by the hospital on or after the day of admission (including the day of surgery) for non-clinical reasons. Source: NHS England Quarterly Monitoring Cancelled Operations

Learning Disability: Drugs and Alcohol

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people had a recorded diagnosis of both a learning disability and drug or alcohol dependency in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13;
	(2)  how many people had a recorded diagnosis of a learning disability and were statutorily homeless in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13;
	(3)  how many people had a recorded diagnosis of both a mental health condition and a learning disability in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13;
	(4)  how many people had a recorded diagnosis of a mental health condition and were statutorily homeless in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13.

Norman Lamb: Information is not held centrally on the number of people with a recorded diagnosis of both a learning disability and drug or alcohol dependency, or for those with a recorded diagnosis of a learning disability and statutorily homeless in 2011-12 and 2012-13.
	However, the Health and Social Care Information Centre has information on the number of adult patients, aged 18 or over, on the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) Learning Disabilities register for both years.
	
		
			 Number of adult patients, aged 18 or over, on the QOF Learning Disabilities register in the specified years 
			  Number 
			 2011-12 198,877 
			 2012-13 206,132 
		
	
	Information for the numbers of people with a recorded diagnosis of both a mental health condition and learning disability is not held centrally. There are, however, plans for the Mental Health Minimum Data Set (MHMDS) to be expanded to include information on learning disabilities.
	Information in respect of the numbers of people with a recorded mental health diagnosis and who were statutorily homeless in 2011-12 and 2012-13 is not available in the format requested. However, some information is available from the MHMDS for 2011-12.
	The information contained in the following table makes the assumption that every person recorded in the MHMDS is receiving secondary mental health care for a diagnosable mental health condition in order to provide as complete a dataset as possible.
	Data for 2012-13 has not yet been published.
	People with a recorded diagnosis of a mental health condition and were statutorily homeless.
	
		
			 2011 
			 Accommodation Number 
			 Total number of adult and older adult mental health care spells 770,3121 
			 With accommodation status recorded 649,420 
			 With accommodation status of homeless recorded 17,118 
			 Of which:  
			 Homeless 3,204 
			 Rough sleeper 608 
			 Squatting 123 
			 Night shelter/emergency hostel/direct access hostel (temporary accommodation accepting self referrals, no waiting list and relatively frequent vacancies) 1,413 
			 Sofa surfing (sleeps on a different friend's floor each night) 982 
			 Placed in temporary accommodation by local authority (including homelessness resettlement service) eg bed and breakfast accommodation 1,929 
			 Staying with friends/family as a short-term guest 7,732 
			 Other homeless 1,127 
			 Notes: 1. Please see the Data Quality Measures that accompany each annual release to see which provider's data contributed to these figures. This can lead to changes over time. 2. The number of mental health care spells is not the same as the number of service users, as a service user may have a mental health care spell with more than one provider in the reporting period. Source: Mental Health Minimum Dataset Annual data, 2011-12

Maternity Services: Cumbria

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many unfilled vacancies in maternity units in Cumbria there were by (a) unit and (b) type of vacant post on the most recent date for which figures are available.

Daniel Poulter: This information is not collected centrally.

Maternity Services: Cumbria

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many maternity consultants were employed by each NHS trust covering Cumbria in each of the last five years.

Daniel Poulter: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Numbers of medical consultants in the obstetrics and gynaecology speciality at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust and North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust from 2008-12
	by full-time equivalent (FTE) are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Numbers of obstetrics and gynaecology consultants employed in Cumbria trusts (FTE) 
			  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust 10 10 11 11 12 
			 North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust 8 9 9 8 10 
			 Notes: 1. Data are not held on the number of consultants that work solely in maternity services, therefore data are provided for consultants in the obstetrics and gynaecology speciality, 2. The Health and-Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: Medical and Dental Workforce Census, the NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care

Maternity Services: Cumbria

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many maternity nurses were employed by each NHS trust covering Cumbria in each of the last five years.

Daniel Poulter: Numbers of qualified nursing and midwifery staff employed in maternity services at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust from 2008-2012 by full time equivalent (FTE) are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Numbers of maternity staff employed in Cumbria trusts (FTE) 
			  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust:      
			 Modern matron 4 4 4 4 3 
			 Children's nurse 6 7 5 11 8 
			 Registered midwife 113 113 113 116 118 
			 Other 1st level 15 17 17 11 13 
			 Other 2nd level 0 0 0 1 1 
			 Total 137 140 139 143 144 
			 University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust:      
			 Modern matron 5 5 5 4 2 
			 Children's nurse 12 14 13 14 10 
			 Registered midwife 114 117 117 115 121 
			 Other 1st level 3 2 2 2 4 
			 Total 134 138 136 135 137 
			 Notes: 1. The organisations listed in the table are the only ones which employ maternity services staff in the Cumbria area. 2. Full-time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number. 3. Maternity services figures also include a small number of staff working in neonatal nursing (including special care baby units). 4. The Health and Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: Non-Medical Workforce Census, the NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care

Maternity Services: North West

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any maternity units in Cumbria or Lancashire have been temporarily closed due to staff shortages during the last three years.

Daniel Poulter: These data are not collected centrally.

NHS Walk-in Centres: North East

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many walk-in-centres there were in the North East in each of the last three years.

Jane Ellison: The information requested is not held centrally.
	NHS England decides what data to collect on national health service walk-in centres.
	Clinical commissioning groups are responsible for commissioning walk-in centres, based on an assessment of local need.
	There has never been an agreed definition of a ‘walk-in-centre’. This term is sometimes used interchangeably with terms such as ‘minor injuries unit’ and ‘urgent care centre’.
	Information on walk-in-centres which are a classified as a type of accident and emergency (A and E) department is already collected as part of the existing A and E returns, although others are commissioned locally and do not currently submit central returns.

Nurses: North East

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were employed by the NHS in the North East in May (a) 2010 and (b) 2013.

Daniel Poulter: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 North East strategic health authority (SHA) area Nursing, midwifery, and health visiting staff numbers (full-time equivalent) 
			 May 2010 19,692 
			 May 2013 19,843 
			 Notes: 1. Data shows number of full-time equivalent nursing, midwifery, and health visiting staff as at 31 May each specified year. 2. North East SHA organisations have been mapped as at May 2013 to the old SHA boundary that ceased to exist in April 2013, to ensure a consistent timeseries. 3. Figures are rounded, to the nearest whole number. Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre

Tuberculosis: Drugs

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spends on (a) an adult's and (b) a child's dose of (i) Rifater, (ii) Ethambutol, (iii) Rifinah, (iv) Isoniazid, (v) Rifampicin and (vi) Pyrazinamide.

Norman Lamb: The estimated cost of the listed anti-tuberculosis (TB) medicines, in both primary and secondary care in 2012-13 was £6.7 million. It is not possible to determine usage between adult and child, as this information is not collected.
	
		
			 Cost of anti-TB medicines in primary and secondary care for the period 2012-13(1) 
			 £000 
			  Primary care (2,)(3) Secondary care( 4, 5, 6) 
			 Ethambutol hydrochloride 348.1 — 
			 Isoniazid 430.4 — 
			 Pyrazinamide 59.5 — 
			 Rifampicin 543.0 — 
			 Rifampicin combined preparations 110.2 — 
			 Total 1,491.2 5,222.4 
			 (1) Rifater and Rifinah are brand names of rifampicin combined preparations and so all rifampicin combined preparations have been included,. Medicines have not been separated by brand. (2) The net ingredient cost of prescription items written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community in England. (3) Some supplies through homecare providers may not be included. (4) Cost is estimated from on volume used. (5) Cost of medicines at national health service list price and not necessarily the price paid. (6) Only overall figures for the medicines listed are available, due to licensing restrictions. Sources: 1. Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system. The Health and Social Care Information Centre, Prescribing and Primary Care Services. 2. IMS data. Copyright IMS HEALTH: Prescribing Audit Index (HPAI).

HOME DEPARTMENT

Borders: Personal Records

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 2 November 2012, Official Report, column 412W, on e-Borders, when a copy of the original business case for the e-Borders programme will be placed in the Library.

Mark Harper: I have today placed a copy of the e-Borders Full Business Case, dated 12 November 2007, in the House Library. Please note however that elements of this document are restricted and will therefore be redacted.

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many direct employees and contracted workers of her Department and its arm's lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.

James Brokenshire: The core Home Office has 21 staff paid below the living wage. Following the 2013 pay settlement, no staff will be paid less than the living wage.
	None of the Home Office's Executive agencies have staff paid below the living wage.
	None of the Home Office's arm’s length bodies have staff paid less than the living wage.
	No staff within the Home Office and its arm’s length bodies are employed on zero-hours contracts.
	The following table sets out the data in more detail.
	The Home Office does not keep information on the level of pay of staff employed by organisations contracted to provide services within the Home Office. The Home Office's facilities management contracts are next due for review in 2014.
	This will provide an opportunity to consider the contractors' proposed wage rates and their proposals for service delivery.
	
		
			 Number 
			 Organisation Staff below the national living wage Staff below the London living wage Directly employed staff on zero-hours contracts 
			 Core Home Office 19 2 0 
			 HM Passport Office 0 0 0 
			 National Fraud Authority 0 0 0 
			 Disclosure and Barring Service 0 0 0 
			 Independent Police Complaints Commission 0 0 0 
			 Office of the Immigration Service Commissioner 0 0 0 
			 Security Industry Authority 0 0 0 
			 National Crime Agency 0 0 0 
			 College of Policing 0 0 0 
			     
			 Total 19 2 0

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which EU member states the Council has decided, under Article 25(2) of Council Decision 2008/615/JHA, meet the requirements of Chapter 6 of that Decision; and when other EU member states will be the subject of such a decision.

James Brokenshire: The following countries meet the requirements of Chapter 6 of Council Decision 2008/615/JHA:
	Belgium; Bulgaria; Czech Republic; Estonia; France; Cyprus; Latvia; Lithuania; Hungary; Malta; The Netherlands; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Slovenia; Slovakia; Finland; Sweden.
	As stated in Article 25(3) of 2008/615/JHA, paragraph 2 shall not apply to those member states where the supply of personal data as provided for in this Decision has already started pursuant to the treaty of 27 May 2005 between the Kingdom of Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Austria on the stepping up of cross-border cooperation, particularly in “combating terrorism, cross-border crime and illegal migration (Prüm Treaty).

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many joint investigation teams including the UK have been set up in each of the last five years as a result of Article 3 of Council Decision 2005/671/JHA; and what the aims, activities and achievements of each of these teams were;
	(2)  what measures the UK has taken to implement Article 4 of Council Decision 2005/61/JHA; how many requests in each of the last five years the UK has (a) received and (b) sent that have been dealt with under this Article; what the decision was on each such request; how much quicker she estimates each such request was dealt with compared to if this Decision had not applied; and what assessment she has made of the effect in these matters if the UK ceases to be bound by this Decision pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties;
	(3)  how many times information has been provided (a) by and (b) to the UK as a result of Article 2(6) of Council Decision 2005/671/JHA in each of the last five years; and what assessment she has made of how useful this exchange has been to the UK and the other EU member states concerned;
	(4)  how many times information has been provided to Europol by UK authorities as a result of Article 2 of Council Decision 2005/671/JHA in each of the last five years; and what use this information has been put to in each case;
	(5)  how many times information has been provided to Eurojust by UK authorities as a result of Article 2 of Council Decision 2005/671/JHA in each of the last five years; and what use this information has been put to in each case;
	(6)  whether the Government intends to maintain unchanged the co-operation and information exchange with other EU member states established by Council Decision 2005/671/JHA if the UK ceases to be bound by that Decision pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties; how any such co-operation and information exchange would be maintained; and what assessment she has made of whether this would be at least as efficacious as UK participation in the Decision;
	(7)  what the cost to the public purse has been in each of the last five years of UK participation in Council Decision 2005/671/JHA;
	(8)  what requirements of Council Decision 2005/671/JHA the UK (a) has and (b) has not implemented;
	(9)  whether the Government intends to retain unchanged existing provisions of UK law and practice required by Council Decision 2005/671/JHA, if the UK ceases to be bound by that Decision pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties;
	(10)  in which instances information which is currently exchanged as a result of Council Decision 2005/671/JHA would no longer be exchanged if the UK ceases to be bound by that Decision pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties.

James Brokenshire: The UK has fully implemented this Decision. No legislation was required to do so.
	The UK has neither established nor been part of any joint investigation teams established under Article 3 of this Decision. The UK conducts Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) pursuant to Council Framework Decision 2002/465/JHA.
	That measure is included in the set of measures that the Government has indicated it will seek to rejoin in the UK's national interest as part of our decision to opt out of pre-Lisbon EU police and criminal justice measures.
	Information on the number of requests received and sent in each of the last five years pursuant to Article 4 is not held centrally. Nor is information on the number of times information has been provided by and for the UK as a result of Article 2(6) in each of the last five years.
	Information on the number of times information has been provided to Europol by UK authorities as a result of Article 2 in each of the last five years is not available centrally. Nor is information provided to Eurojust by UK authorities as a result of this Article held centrally.
	Information on the cost to the public purse for participation in this Council Decision in each of the last five years is not held centrally.
	The UK co-operates bilaterally with other member states on counter terrorism and will continue to do so irrespective of participation in this measure. The Government believes that alternatives will be at least as efficacious as participation in this Decision. The Government has assessed that there are no impediments to exchanging information bilaterally, if required.
	As the UK has opted out of the all pre-Lisbon police and criminal justice measure and Council Decision 2005/671/JHA is not one of the measures which we will seek to rejoin in the national interest, it is important to note that on 1 December 2014 that the UK will be free to change domestic law and practice if required. In the meantime, the Government will retain unchanged existing UK law and practice.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to which EU Directives within her Department's areas of responsibility the Government has formally opted into in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive was signed; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: Details of all EU directives that the UK has opted into pursuant to protocol 21 to the treaties on the functioning of the European Union since May 2010 are listed on the JHA opt-in webpage. The webpage can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206297/2_JHA_opt-in_webpage_update_-_data_v0_1.pdf
	In the Minister for Europe, the right hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington)’s written ministerial statement of 20 January 2011, Official Report, columns 51-52WS, the Government committed to a number of measures to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of JHA measures, in particular to make written statements to Parliament on each opt-in decision and to set aside Government time for debates in both Houses in circumstances where there is particularly strong parliamentary interest in an opt-in decision.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what EU Directives within her Department's areas of responsibility have come into force without the need for an opt-in decision in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive came into force; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: Details of all EU legislation, including full details of all EU directives that have come into force since May 2010, can be found on the Commission's website:
	http://eur-lex.europa.eu/RECH_legislation.do
	The Government's position is that the UK's Justice and Home Affairs opt-in applies to all measures adopted pursuant to Title V of part 3 of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union, as set out in protocol 21 to the treaty on the functioning of the European Union. It follows that the opt-in does not apply to measures adopted that are not pursuant to Title V of part 3 of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union.

Police: South West

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the annual budget is of each police constabulary in the South West.

Damian Green: The Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) receive funding from central Government and locally through the police precept component of council tax. In 2013-14 total central Government funding to the police is £8.8 billion. Total precept funding (including local council tax support) is £3.4 billion.
	The aggregate amount of grant funding the Home Office provides to PCCs in England and Wales is published in the Police Grant Report 2013/14. Although the Home Office provides funding to PCCs, it does not hold details of the full budgets for police forces as this includes funding from other sources such as the use of reserves and from charging for additional services. We do not collect or hold this information centrally.
	PCCs have the responsibility for allocating the force budget, in consultation with their respective chief constables.

Secondment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many private sector employees have been seconded by the private sector to her Department; what the name was of the company from which they were seconded; and whether any of those employees have worked on drafting legislation.

James Brokenshire: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the Scottish Government on tackling terrorism in Northern Ireland.

James Brokenshire: The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), had a recent discussion with the Scottish Government in relation to a range of security-related issues, including the threat from Northern Ireland-related terrorism, on 29 October.

Terrorism: Surveillance

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much additional funding her Department has provided to the Metropolitan Police to meet the costs of surveillance arising from terrorism prevention and investigative measures.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 18 November 2013
	To complement the introduction of terrorism prevention and investigative measures (TPIMs), additional funding of tens of millions of pounds was given to the police and Security Service to enhance their investigative and evidence-gathering capabilities. For operational reasons, we cannot reveal the exact amount.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with reference to recent meetings between the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment Minister, hon. Members and trades union representatives from Northern Ireland and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport regarding Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency jobs and services in Northern Ireland, when she expects to hold further discussions to reach a final resolution on this matter.

Andrew Robathan: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs Villiers), has discussed this matter with my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Transport on a number of occasions. She has made clear to him the concerns there are about this matter in Northern Ireland and has emphasised that it is very important to look at the wider economic impacts of any possible decision that would involve removing work from the DVA. However, my hon. Friend will also need to consider efficiency issues and the need to deal with the deficit and reduce costs in the Department for Transport. He will also want to consider the best way for drivers in Northern Ireland to access electronic and web-based services to licence vehicles which, unlike their counterparts in the rest of the UK, they are currently unable to do.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to which EU Directives within her Department's areas of responsibility the Government has formally opted into in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive was signed; and if she will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: Details of all EU directives that the UK has opted into pursuant to protocol 21 to the treaties on the functioning of the European Union since May 2010 are listed on the Government's JHA opt-in web page. The website can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206297/2_JHA_opt-in webpage_update_-_data_v0_1.pdf
	In the Minister for Europe, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington)’s written ministerial statement of 20 January 2011, Official Report, columns 51-52WS, the Government committed to a number of measures to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of JHA measures, in particular to make written statements to Parliament on each opt-in decision and to set aside Government time for debates in both Houses in circumstances where there is particularly strong parliamentary interest in an opt-in decision.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what EU directives within her Department's areas of responsibility have come into force without the need for an opt-in decision in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive came into force; and if she will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: Details of all EU legislation, including full details of all EU directives that have come into force since May 2010, can be found on the Commission's website:
	http://eur-lex.europa.eu/RECH_legislation.do
	The Government's position is that the UK's Justice and Home Affairs opt-in applies to all measures adopted pursuant to title V of part three of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union, as set out in protocol 21 to the treaty on the functioning of the European Union. It follows that the opt-in does not apply to measures adopted that are not pursuant to title V of part three of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union.

Visits Abroad

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many overseas trips, and at what total cost, her Department has made in each year since 2010; and what the costs of (a) flights, (b) internal travel, (c) hotel accommodation and (d) subsistence were of each trip.

Andrew Robathan: The details requested for overseas trips are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of trips Cost of flights (£) Number of Eurostar trips Cost of Eurostar trips (£) Travel and subsistence costs (including hotels and internal travel expenses) (£) Total costs (£) 
			 2010-11 6 61,909 2 2,853 1,407 66,169 
			 2011-12 6 67,424 3 3,226 2,898 73,548 
			 2012-13 6 42,947 2 3,900 5,667 52,514 
		
	
	Further detail could be provided only at disproportionate cost due to the way that these records are stored in the Department's financial systems.
	I should add that since May 2010 the NIO has discontinued the practice of the previous Administration of using private jets for routine travel to and from Northern Ireland by the Secretary of State. This has resulted in considerable savings for the taxpayer and is part of this Government's efforts to control the spiralling costs of government we inherited from Labour.

TRANSPORT

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total cost to HS2 Ltd of running all phase one community forum meetings and all phase one bilateral meetings has been; and how much of this cost is (a) staff time, (b) travel expenses, (c) materials, (d) administration and (e) preparation time.

Robert Goodwill: Information is not available in the form requested and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The HS2 Phase One community forums are an important part of the engagement process and have provided an opportunity for members of the community to put their issues, ideas and priorities to the engineers and environment teams developing the design. The forum process has been valuable in the development of the scheme and its mitigation.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Fisheries: Isle of Man

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the (a) Northern Ireland Assembly and (b) Northern Ireland fishing organisations on the decision by the Isle of Man to extend the fishing limits to 12 miles.

George Eustice: The fishing limits were officially extended to the 12 mile limit in 1991 through The Territorial Sea Act 1987 (Isle of Man) Order, A copy of the Order can be found here:
	http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1991/1722/made
	Consultation between the Isle of Man and the UK took place prior to this order being made. The Isle of Man can provide more information on the exact process followed to put the Order in place.

Fisheries: Isle of Man

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many herring were caught in the sea around the Isle of Man in the last year.

George Eustice: Data on landings are collected for International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) statistical rectangles. In 2012 4,265 tonnes of herring were landed from the ICES rectangle (37E5) for the area of sea around the Isle of Man.

Marine Conservation Zones

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on establishing marine conservation zones around England.

George Eustice: We expect to announce the designation of MCZs shortly and at the same time we hope to indicate our plans for future work on MCZs.

Nature Conservation

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to control the intrusion of alien species to the UK.

George Eustice: Action to tackle the threat from invasive non-native species is delivered through the Invasive Non-Native Species Framework Strategy for Great Britain, which was published in 2008. It sets out seven objectives and over 50 key actions to deliver these, including nine key actions to minimise the risk of invasive non-native species entering and becoming established in Great Britain. The strategy is currently being reviewed in consultation with stakeholders to examine the continuing relevance of its objectives, actions and mechanisms and whether any modifications or additions are merited. We anticipate a revised strategy being published in summer 2014.
	A similar approach has been taken in Northern Ireland, working with the Republic of Ireland on an all-Ireland basis through the Invasive Species Ireland Project since 2006. To further co-ordinate work, the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland published an Invasive Alien Species Strategy in May 2013 that reflects the main challenges for Northern Ireland. The strategy seeks to maximise the effectiveness of existing approaches while putting in place new actions to address gaps that have been identified. A similar harmonised strategy is in development in the Republic of Ireland. The first review of the strategy will be carried out in 2016 and thereafter on a five-yearly basis.

Nature Conservation

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and the Countryside Alliance on the help they might provide in tackling the problem of alien species in the UK.

George Eustice: Stakeholder engagement is key to the successful delivery of our strategy for tackling invasive non-native species. DEFRA officials have had a number of discussions with the British Association for Shooting and Conservation on a range of non-native species issues and its representatives attend the annual non-native species stakeholder forum regularly. Both the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and the Countryside Alliance have been consulted on the draft EU regulation on invasive non-native species.

Nature Conservation

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he had with (a) institutions and (b) member states of the EU on the help they might provide in tackling the problem of alien species in the UK.

George Eustice: The UK has long been calling for the development of an EU strategy to tackle the problems that invasive species across the EU pose to the UK. During 2010-11 the UK actively participated, with other member states and non-governmental organisations, in working groups convened by the European Commission to consider and develop ideas for such a strategy, taking a leading role on five of the nine tasks.
	Since the European Commission published its proposals on 9 September 2013, officials have met several UK MEPs, as well as the Environment Committee Rapporteur and the European Commission, to discuss the proposals. Discussions with other member states have taken place within European Council working party meetings.

Squirrels

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to reduce the number of grey squirrels across the UK.

George Eustice: Control of grey squirrels is a devolved matter. England's national strategy for grey squirrel management is set out in the document published in January 2006 entitled ‘Grey Squirrels and England's Woodlands: Policy and Action’:
	www.forestry.gov.uk/greysquirrel
	In accordance with the strategy, the Forestry Commission focuses grey squirrel control (and grant aid) effort in woodlands, primarily where the delivery of public benefits is critically threatened by grey squirrels. This addresses the threats that grey squirrels pose to woodlands, and to red squirrels where they are present or nearby. In addition, the Forestry Commission, DEFRA, the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency and the National Wildlife Research Centre have been collaborating on research into fertility control as a method for population control of grey squirrels.

Wild Ducks

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the ruddy duck has been eradicated in the UK.

George Eustice: At the start of the UK Ruddy Duck Eradication Programme in 2005, 4,400 ruddy ducks were estimated to be in the wild within the UK. During the summer of 2013 approximately 50 ruddy ducks were estimated to be in the wild within the UK. The UK is working within the framework of the Bern convention to eradicate the ruddy duck from the wild in the Western Palaearctic by 2015.

Wild Ducks

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost to the public purse to date is of the programme to eradicate the ruddy duck.

George Eustice: The UK Ruddy Duck Eradication Programme was targeted at protecting European white headed ducks. Their conservation is threatened as a result of hybridisation with the ruddy duck which is not native to Europe. The programme began in 2005 and ran until March 2011 at a cost of £3.3 million. Approximately half of this was provided by EU LIFE-Nature funding, with the remainder funded by DEFRA.
	DEFRA has continued to fund ongoing work on eradication with funding amounting to £200,000 in the 2011-12 financial year, £150,000 in the 2012-13 financial year and £120,000 allocated for this financial year.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Sentencing

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions he has referred a criminal sentence to the Court of Appeal for review on the ground that it was unduly lenient in the last 12 months.

Oliver Heald: For the period 1 November 2012 to 30 October 2013, the sentences of 81 offenders were referred as unduly lenient and have either been heard or are due to be heard by the Court of Appeal.

Rape and Domestic Violence Referrals

Andy Sawford: To ask the Attorney-General what resources he plans to make available to police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service to implement his action plan for referrals of cases of rape and domestic violence.

Oliver Heald: The Government takes the effective prosecution of rape and domestic violence cases very seriously.
	The former Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, met with the Home Office, national policing leads and other interested parties in September 2013 to consider the reduction in the number of cases referred by the police to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision.
	The six actions following this meeting are being taken forward by the Inspectorate, CPS, Home Office and police within existing resources.

Central and Eastern Europe

Jesse Norman: To ask the Attorney-General what steps the Law Officers' Departments are taking to promote the rule of law in central and eastern Europe.

Dominic Grieve: The CPS International Division has been involved in a range of activities intended to strengthen the capacity of criminal justice practitioners in Albania, Montenegro and Bulgaria. The Serious Fraud Office has provided assistance to countries within central and eastern Europe investigating frauds committed in the region. I also have bilateral relationships with prosecutors. For example, I recently attended the International Association of Prosecutors in Moscow where 1 held a bilateral with the Prosecutor General of Albania.
	In addition, the Ministry of Justice and Home Office have also been involved in rule of law projects in the area. Such projects, along with liaison and engagement, promote the rule of law.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Attorney-General 
	(1)  to which EU Directives within the Law Officers' Departments' areas of responsibility the Government has formally opted into in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive was signed; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what EU Directives within the Law Officers' Departments' areas of responsibility have come into force without the need for an opt-in decision in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive came into force; and if he will make a statement.

Oliver Heald: None.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Dogs

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what requirement is placed on those bidding for military working dogs withdrawn from service as to their competence with animal welfare; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: Applicants wishing to re-home military working dogs are vetted by interview to determine suitability and a judgment is made by the Ministry of Defence's Procurement and Re-homing Section as to the appropriateness of the individual.
	When a suitable dog is identified, all interested parties are invited to come and meet the dog with family and other pets, if applicable.
	Each new owner is required to complete a ‘contract sale of dog’ which states that they must abide by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and are not to compromise the Five Freedoms which are fully stated in the contract.

Armed Forces: Dogs

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military working dogs have been sold following the decision to withdraw them from service (a) in 2012 and (b) so far in the current calendar year; and how many such dogs were purchased by their handler.

Anna Soubry: Information on the number of military working dogs that have been sold in 2012 and in 2013 to date, and how many have been sold to their handlers, is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of dogs sold Number sold to handlers 
			 2012 142 87 
			 2013 (to date) 84 59

Patrol Craft

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  when work began on the Navy's new offshore patrol vessels;
	(2)  when the decision to build three new offshore patrol vessels was taken;
	(3)  whether Portsmouth was considered as the preferred location for the construction of all or any of the offshore patrol vessels;
	(4)  when preliminary work began on the three new offshore patrol vessels; and when the contract negotiations with BAE for those vessels commenced.

Philip Dunne: The Ministry of Defence entered into discussions with BAE Systems (BAES) in summer 2012 about the future of the UK warship building programme. This covered a number of issues, including how best to manage the workload gap and maintain key shipbuilding skills between the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier and Type 26 Global Combat Ship build programmes.
	Building Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) in Portsmouth was among the options considered initially. As discussions with BAES progressed, it became evident that there would be clear business benefits in the company's decision to consolidate its shipbuilding capabilities on the Clyde. The key issue, therefore, became the maintenance of shipbuilding skills on the Clyde after completion of work on the Carrier blocks. Following analysis, the build of three OPVs was determined to be the optimum method to maintain these skills, while delivering useful capability for the Royal Navy.
	Detailed commercial negotiations around the shipbuilding programme began in mid 2013, with agreement reached on an overall deal in late October. A Commercial Principles Agreement was signed on 6 November 2013.
	Subject to the Main Investment decision in the coming months and contract placement in 2014, construction work on the OPVs is expected to begin in autumn 2014.

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people employed by his Department hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: There is no mandatory requirement for personnel, either service or civilian, to record their qualifications on Ministry of Defence management systems. The following table is therefore likely to under-represent the number of employees holding computer science degrees. Where personnel hold more than one level of qualification only the highest is shown:
	
		
			 Highest Qualification Level Achieved in Computer Science Total (Service and Civilian Personnel 
			 Bachelors Degree 280 
			 Masters Degree 50 
			 PhD 10 
			 Total 340 
			 Note: Rounding has been applied to all figures. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in '5' have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Sunningdale Park

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how often his Department has used Sunningdale Park for Civil Service events since May 2010; what the nature of each such event was; and what the cost of each such event was.

Anna Soubry: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Following a review of learning and development across Government, the National School of Government (which delivered training on the Sunningdale Park site) closed in March 2012.

CABINET OFFICE

Employment

Frank Dobson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people are in full-time equivalent employment.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the number of people in full-time equivalent employment. 175427
	Total full-time equivalent employment in the UK, for the reference period July to September 2013, is estimated to be 28.754 million
	This is derived from ONS's Labour Force Survey, using usual weekly hours worked by people aged 16 and over in their main job, including paid and unpaid overtime. A full-time working week is assumed to be 37 hours.

Politics and Government: Public Participation

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department is taking to promote the engagement of civil society in the political process.

Nick Hurd: The Civil Society Compact lays the foundation for effective partnership working between Government and civil society organisations.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Devolution

John Pugh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is on devolution of powers to the regions of England; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Clark: The Government is committed to devolving power to the most appropriate level.
	In England, we are achieving this in many ways, including the City Deals Programme. So far, we have eight City Deals with the biggest cities outside London, four City Deals with smaller cities, and 16 more deals still being negotiated.
	We have also created 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships, 24 Enterprise Zones, a £2.4 billion Regional Growth Fund and Local Growth Deals in response to the Heseltine Review; implemented local government finance reforms; and given local authorities a general power of competence.

Devolve Powers: Cornwall

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent assessment he has made of the case for devolving powers to Cornwall as a pilot rural city deal.

Greg Clark: Cornwall is currently developing proposals for their forthcoming Local Growth Deal. This deal will enable Cornwall to access funding from the £2 billion per year Local Growth Fund and agree freedoms and flexibilities that will support work to drive local economic growth.
	In addition Cornwall is also playing an active role in the development of the Plymouth City Deal, ensuring that the deal's proposals to grow the marine sector; tackle youth unemployment; and grow SMEs, benefit the residents of Cornwall.

Devolution: Wales

Jesse Norman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the economic and social effects of further devolution in Wales on areas close to the border between England and Wales.

Greg Clark: I support devolution of power to the most appropriate level. Yesterday we announced the devolution of a range of financial powers to the Welsh Government.
	I am aware that this can have an impact on people who live or work in border areas. That is why we included consideration of cross border issues in the Silk Commission's terms of reference. The Government has taken account of this in responding to Part I of the Commission's Report and will do so for Part II as well.

Legislative Priorities

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his legislative priorities are for the remainder of this Parliament.

Robert Flello: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the Government's political and constitutional reform priorities are for the remainder of this Parliament.

Greg Clark: The Government is focused on devolving more powers from Whitehall to our cities and regions. As part of our legislative programme the Government is currently taking forward the Transparency Bill and also intends to bring forward legislation to provide for a power of recall before the end of this Parliament.

Natural Capital Committee

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many occasions he has met Dieter Helm in his capacity as Chair of the Natural Capital Committee since May 2010.

Nicholas Clegg: I have not met with Dieter Helm in this capacity.

EDUCATION

Free Schools

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his Department's policy is on taking over under-performing free schools.

Edward Timpson: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), is responsible for ensuring that underperforming free schools take steps to raise standards, and he will not tolerate failure.
	In extreme cases of failure, the Secretary of State can intervene to enforce a change in leadership or force the academy to close. Before intervening in an underperforming free school, the Secretary of State will assess whether the trust is taking, or has the necessary capacity to take, the appropriate action to improve standards. The Secretary of State's powers to intervene are specified in the funding agreement between the Secretary of State and the academy trust running the school.

Free Schools

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department takes to address serious financial mismanagement in free schools.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education has a number of measures in place both to address financial mismanagement in free schools should it occur, and to prevent it from happening in the first place.
	The financial viability and resilience of free school proposals, and the financial capacity and capability of those responsible for them, is tested during the application process and before schools open.
	The Department for Education has established an accountability system for academy trusts, including those operating free schools, which reflects their status as companies, charities and public bodies. Within this system, which is more robust than that in place for maintained schools, academy trusts are required to take full control of their financial affairs and must ensure regularity, propriety and value for money in their management of public funds. Trusts must ensure trustees and managers have the skills, knowledge and experience to run the academy trust; prepare financial plans so as to secure the academy trust's short-term and long-term financial health; have in place sound internal control and risk management processes; ensure trustees and managers monitor the academy trust's current and forecast financial position; be able to show that public funds have been used as intended by Parliament; and prepare annual financial statements which are audited by a registered auditor.
	Where the Education Funding Agency (EFA) has concerns about financial management or governance in an academy trust, the EFA may issue a Financial Notice to Improve (FNtI), which sets out the actions the EFA requires the trust to take in order to address the underlying causes of the concerns. Those academy trusts subject to financial notices to improve have restrictions placed on the authorities and freedoms delegated to them until the conditions of the FNtI have been satisfied.
	Should financial mismanagement arise as a result of fraud or irregularity, academy accounting officers and trusts have primary responsibility for ensuring that appropriate action is taken. The Secretary of State will not tolerate fraud and reserves the right to conduct or commission his own investigation into actual or potential fraud, theft or irregularity in any academy trust, either as the result of a formal notification from the trust itself or as the result of other information received, for example from a whistleblower. Other authorities, including the police, may be involved as appropriate.

Kings Science Academy

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  if he will publish the financial notice to improve letter sent by his Department to Kings Science Academy in May 2013;
	(2)  when his Department was first informed that an administrative error had taken place in Action Fraud's handling of allegations of fraud at the Kings Science Academy, Bradford;
	(3)  for what reasons Action Fraud informed his Department that it was not taking any further action into allegations of fraud at the Kings Science Academy, Bradford.

Edward Timpson: A financial notice to improve was not issued to Kings Science academy. The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), issued a warning notice in May 2013 and the academy was asked to put in place actions to address the weaknesses identified in the investigation report.
	Action Fraud notified the Department on 1 November that they made a mistake in classifying the information provided. The error has been rectified by Action Fraud and West Yorkshire police have confirmed they are investigating. Action Fraud has apologised to the Department for this error.

Special Educational Needs: Greater London

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many children had a statement of special educational needs in each London local authority area in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what the change in proportion was of children with a statement of special educational needs in each London local authority area between 2009-10 and the latest date for which figures are available.

Edward Timpson: Information on the number and percentage of pupils with statements of special educational needs(1) in each London local authority from 2009 to 2013 is provided in the following table.
	The available information only reflects a snapshot of data as at January each year and, therefore, the change in proportion of pupils with statements of special educational needs in all London local authorities has been provided for both 2009 to 2013 and 2010 to 2013, as shown in the appended table.
	(1 )Full information on pupils with SEN can be found in the ‘Special Educational Needs in England, January 2013’ Statistical First Release at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-educational-needs-in-england-january-2013
	
		
			 All schools(1): Pupils with statements of special educational needs (SEN), based on where the pupil attends school(2) as at January each year: 2009-2013 by region and local authority area in England 
			    2009 2010 
			 LA Code   Total pupils Pupils with statements of SEN %(3) Total pupils Pupils with statements of SEN %(3) 
			   England(3) 8,092,280 225,400 2.8 8,098,360 223,945 2.8 
			   London(4) 1,236,350 33,765 2.7 1,254,720 33,755 2.7 
			   Inner London(4) 442,775 12,425 2.8 451,605 12,670 2.8 
			 E09000007 202 Camden 29,449 930 3.2 29,503 918 3.1 
			 E09000001 201 City of London 2,235 5 0.2 2,260 4 0.2 
			 E09000012 204 Hackney 32,936 973 3.0 34,066 1,069 3.1 
			 E09000013 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 23,505 721 3.1 23,968 762 3.2 
			 E09000014 309 Haringey 38,153 1,147 3.0 38,695 1,208 3.1 
			 E09000019 206 Islington 23,329 726 3.1 23,340 727 3.1 
			 E09000020 207 Kensington and Chelsea 22,674 373 1.6 23,202 368 1.6 
			 E09000022 208 Lambeth 32,956 1,213 3.7 33,681 1,269 3.8 
			 E09000023 209 Lewisham 38,076 1,134 3.0 38,891 1,120 2.9 
			 E09000025 316 Newham 51,199 506 1.0 52,696 456 0.9 
			 E09000028 210 Southwark 41,550 1,312 3.2 42,103 1,265 3.0 
			 E09000030 211 Tower Hamlets 39,767 1,355 3.4 40,865 1,363 3.3 
			 E09000032 212 Wandsworth 39,332 1,340 3.4 39,825 1,419 3.6 
			 E09000033 213 Westminster 27,615 688 2.5 28,510 720 2.5 
			   Outer London(4) 793,570 21,340 2.7 803,115 21,085 2.6 
			 E09000002 301 Barking and Dagenham 33,062 783 2.4 33,869 803 2.4 
			 E09000003 302 Barnet 55,647 1,458 2.6 56,302 1,420 2.5 
			 E09000004 303 Bexley 41,437 1,183 2.9 41,350 1,135 2.7 
			 E09000005 304 Brent 44,551 1,259 2.8 45,201 1,325 2.9 
		
	
	
		
			 E09000006 305 Bromley 51,135 1,645 3.2 51,302 1,704 3.3 
			 E09000008 306 Croydon 58,617 1,319 2.3 59,060 1,325 2.2 
			 E09000009 307 Ealing 50,585 1,312 2.6 51,869 1,384 2.7 
			 E09000010 308 Enfield 52,290 1,188 2.3 52,996 1,144 2.2 
			 E09000011 203 Greenwich 40,252 1,347 3.3 40,555 1,248 3.1 
			 E09000015 310 Harrow 35,103 930 2.6 35,398 913 2.6 
			 E09000016 311 Havering 37,036 704 1.9 37,097 616 1.7 
			 E09000017 312 Hillingdon 47,996 1,293 2.7 48,472 1,347 2.8 
			 E09000018 313 Hounslow 37,590 977 2.6 38,059 903 2.4 
			 E09000021 314 Kingston upon Thames 25,748 593 2.3 26,295 624 2.4 
			 E09000024 315 Merton 28,220 928 3.3 28,768 891 3.1 
			 E09000026 317 Redbridge 51,531 1,313 2.5 52,442 1,259 2.4 
			 E09000027 318 Richmond upon Thames 29,630 682 2.3 30,140 689 2.3 
			 E09000029 319 Sutton 33,827 1,057 3.1 33,990 1,046 3.1 
			 E09000031 320 Waltham Forest 39,315 1,370 3.5 39,948 1,311 3.3 
		
	
	
		
			    2011 2012 
			 LA Code   Total pupils Pupils with statements of SEN %(3) Total pupils Pupils with statements of SEN %(3) 
			   England(3) 8,123,865 224,210 2.8 8,178,200 226,125 2.8 
			   London(4) 1,276,410 34,415 2.7 1,304,100 35,165 2.7 
			   Inner London(4) 460,135 12,950 2.8 470,760 13,175 2.8 
			 E09000007 202 Camden 29,496 896 3.0 30,537 851 2.8 
			 E09000001 201 City of London 2,295 4 0.2 2,307 4 0.2 
			 E09000012 204 Hackney 34,996 1,093 3.1 36,725 1,169 3.2 
			 E09000013 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 24,364 775 3.2 25,291 789 3.1 
			 E09000014 309 Haringey 39,378 1,251 3.2 39,827 1,255 3.2 
			 E09000019 206 Islington 23,884 783 3.3 24,215 798 3.3 
			 E09000020 207 Kensington and Chelsea 24,131 445 1.8 24,616 412 1.7 
			 E09000022 208 Lambeth 34,523 1,329 3.8 35,250 1,272 3.6 
			 E09000023 209 Lewisham 39,700 1,106 2.8 40,595 1,107 2.7 
			 E09000025 316 Newham 53,523 444 0.8 55,228 468 0.8 
			 E09000028 210 Southwark 42,536 1,246 2.9 43,359 1,251 2.9 
			 E09000030 211 Tower Hamlets 41,742 1,401 3.4 42,188 1,477 3.5 
			 E09000032 212 Wandsworth 40,303 1,470 3.6 40,743 1,553 3.8 
			 E09000033 213 Westminster 29,265 709 2.4 29,879 770 2.6 
			   Outer London(4) 816,275 21,465 2.6 833,340 21,990 2.6 
			 E09000002 301 Barking and Dagenham 35,075 807 2.3 36,490 817 2.2 
			 E09000003 302 Barnet 57,101 1,498 2.6 58,861 1,561 2.7 
			 E09000004 303 Bexley 41,731 1,087 2.6 42,364 1,063 2.5 
			 E09000005 304 Brent 46,434 1,418 3.1 47,395 1,397 2.9 
			 E09000006 305 Bromley 51,584 1,786 3.5 51,789 1,779 3.4 
			 E09000008 306 Croydon 59,743 1,386 2.3 61,348 1,488 2.4 
			 E09000009 307 Ealing 52,928 1,340 2.5 54,318 1,505 2.8 
			 E09000010 308 Enfield 53,816 1,153 2.1 54,986 1,154 2.1 
			 E09000011 203 Greenwich 41,150 1,248 3.0 41,703 1,214 2.9 
			 E09000015 310 Harrow 35,985 939 2.6 36,260 955 2.6 
			 E09000016 311 Havering 37,223 588 1.6 37,252 599 1.6 
			 E09000017 312 Hillingdon 49,184 1,362 2.8 50,017 1,423 2.8 
			 E09000018 313 Hounslow 38,565 923 2.4 39,571 981 2.5 
			 E09000021 314 Kingston upon Thames 26,645 642 2.4 27,087 673 2.5 
			 E09000024 315 Merton 29,667 922 3.1 30,825 962 3.1 
			 E09000026 317 Redbridge 53,684 1,271 2.4 54,793 1,273 2.3 
			 E09000027 318 Richmond upon Thames 30,393 703 2.3 31,143 737 2.4 
			 E09000029 319 Sutton 34,448 1,115 3.2 34,996 1,108 3.2 
			 E09000031 320 Waltham Forest 40,917 1,275 3.1 42,140 1,299 3.1 
		
	
	
		
			    2013   
			 LA Code   Total pupils Pupils with statements of SEN %(3) Percentage point difference between 2009 and 2013 Percentage point difference between 2010 and 2013 
			   England(3) 8,249,810 229,390 2.8 0 0 
			   London(4) 1,331,275 36,215 2.7 0 0 
			   Inner London(4) 481,140 13,540 2.8 0 0 
			 E09000007 202 Camden 31,235 856 2.7 -0.5 -0.4 
			 E09000001 201 City of London 2,316 3 0.1 -0.1 -0.1 
			 E09000012 204 Hackney 38,816 1,235 3.2 0.2 0.1 
			 E09000013 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 25,858 851 3.3 0.2 0.1 
			 E09000014 309 Haringey 40,353 1,308 3.2 0.2 0.1 
			 E09000019 206 Islington 24,147 820 3.4 0.3 0.3 
			 E09000020 207 Kensington and Chelsea 24,981 415 1.7 0.1 0.1 
			 E09000022 208 Lambeth 36,292 1,301 3.6 -0.1 -0.2 
			 E09000023 209 Lewisham 41,683 1,126 2.7 -0.3 -0.2 
			 E09000025 316 Newham 56,301 468 0.8 -0.2 -0.1 
			 E09000028 210 Southwark 44,301 1,217 2.7 -0.5 -0.3 
			 E09000030 211 Tower Hamlets 43,494 1,562 3.6 0.2 0.3 
			 E09000032 212 Wandsworth 41,241 1,581 3.8 0.4 0.2 
			 E09000033 213 Westminster 30,120 799 2.7 0.2 0.2 
			   Outer London(4) 850,135 22,675 2.7 0 0.1 
			 E09000002 301 Barking and Dagenham 37,862 844 2.2 -0.2 -0.2 
			 E09000003 302 Barnet 59,969 1,630 2.7 0.1 0.2 
			 E09000004 303 Bexley 43,042 1,088 2.5 -0.4 -0.2 
			 E09000005 304 Brent 48,015 1,383 2.9 0.1 0.0 
			 E09000006 305 Bromley 52,496 1,901 3.6 0.4 0.3 
			 E09000008 306 Croydon 62,461 1,536 2.5 0.2 0.3 
			 E09000009 307 Ealing 55,265 1,545 2.8 0.2 0.1 
			 E09000010 308 Enfield 56,261 1,181 2.1 -0.2 -0.1 
			 E09000011 203 Greenwich 42,153 1,202 2.9 -0.4 -0.2 
			 E09000015 310 Harrow 36,865 980 2.7 0.1 0.1 
			 E09000016 311 Havering 37,602 625 1.7 -0.2 0.0 
			 E09000017 312 Hillingdon 51,291 1,516 3.0 0.3 0.2 
			 E09000018 313 Hounslow 41,174 1,048 2.5 -0.1 0.1 
			 E09000021 314 Kingston upon Thames 27,571 688 2.5 0.2 0.1 
			 E09000024 315 Merton 31,530 1,045 3.3 0.0 0.2 
			 E09000026 317 Redbridge 55,656 1,307 2.3 -0.2 -0.1 
			 E09000027 318 Richmond upon Thames 32,112 731 2.3 0.0 0.0 
			 E09000029 319 Sutton 35,840 1,119 3.1 0.0 0.0 
			 E09000031 320 Waltham Forest 42,970 1,305 3.0 -0.5 -0.3 
			 (1) Includes maintained and direct grant nursery schools, maintained primary and secondary schools, city technology colleges, university technology colleges, studio schools, primary and secondary academies including free schools, special schools, special academies including free schools, pupil referral units, alternative provision academies including free schools and independent schools. (2) Includes pupils who are sole or dual main registrations. (3) Expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils in all schools. (4) National and regional totals have been rounded to the nearest five. There may be discrepancies between totals and the sum of constituent parts. Source: School Census

Teachers: Training

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will release any unfilled initial teacher training places to the National College for Teaching and Leadership for redistribution to providers with excess demand at the end of the 2014 school summer term.

David Laws: The number of places allocated is not a target and should not be regarded as one. This year, as we do every year, we have over-allocated initial teacher training (ITT) places above the number of required trainees estimated by the Teacher Supply Model. This helps us to ensure we train enough teachers, taking account of the likely level of recruitment in each subject.
	If lead schools or ITT providers do not recruit to allocation there will not necessarily be a shortage of teachers and it is therefore unlikely that a redistribution of places will be required, even if places are unfilled at the end of the 2014 school summer term.
	Lead schools and universities will make use of local relationships to refer applicants to each other. This is preferable to a bureaucratic, centrally-administered process.

Teachers: Training

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to ensure that the final allocation of initial teacher training places provides an adequate number of places in each subject in each region.

David Laws: Regional impact was considered in the allocation process for initial teacher training places. Recruitment across regions and subjects is monitored throughout the recruitment cycle, and informs the activities of the National College for Teaching and Leadership.
	We expect the growth of the demand-driven School Direct programme to promote a closer match between the location of trainee places and where newly-qualified teachers are needed.

Teachers: Training

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the provisional allocation of initial teacher training places by subject for each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) region.

David Laws: The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) has written to lead schools and initial teacher training (ITT) providers (school-centred ITTs and higher education institutions) to inform them of their ITT allocations. These provisional allocations will not be published as we are waiting for institutions to confirm the number of places they want in the coming weeks. NCTL will publish a full list of the places allocated by lead school and ITT provider before the end of the month, once schools and providers have had a chance to respond to our proposed allocations.
	The publication of allocations will include a breakdown of allocations by subject for each region, but not by parliamentary constituency. I will write to the hon. Member with the information for each parliamentary constituency once allocations are published.

Teachers: Training

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many initial teacher training places were bid for by (a) all universities bidding and (b) universities rated by Ofsted for initial teacher education as (i) outstanding and (ii) good.

David Laws: The National College for Teaching and Leadership will publish a full list of the places allocated by lead school and initial teacher training provider before the end of November. This information will be included as part of the allocation data.

TREASURY

Car Tax

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much Vehicle Excise Duty has been raised by vehicle in each taxation category in each of the last five years.

Nicky Morgan: holding answer 1 November 2013
	The Government does not publish a breakdown of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) revenue by vehicle in each tax category other than revenue at an aggregate level for which I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer he received on 29 October 2013, Official Report, column 384W.

Charities Act 2006

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reports his Department has laid before each House of Parliament pursuant to section 70(9) of the Charities Act 2006 in 2012-13.

Nicky Morgan: HMT has not laid any reports before each House of Parliament pursuant to section 70(9) of the Charities Act 2006 in 2012-13.

Defence: Scotland

Matthew Offord: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effects of defence spending on the economy of Scotland.

Danny Alexander: Defence is organised, resourced and managed on a UK basis to provide high levels of protection and security for all parts of the UK and its citizens at home and abroad. Decisions on spending are based on meeting defence requirements and ensuring value for money.
	As part of the UK, Scotland benefits from billions of pounds of MOD contracts placed directly and indirectly with hundreds of companies, which sustain thousands of skilled jobs.
	The Treasury does not produce estimates of defence expenditure in the nations and regions or assessments of its economic impact.

Energy

Jason McCartney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12.

Nicky Morgan: Information in relation to gas and electricity spend is available with the Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2012-13.
	Page 49 table 3.R provides details on spend and CO2 emissions for the Department.

EU Institutions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many visits Ministers from his Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Nicky Morgan: HM Treasury Ministers make a number of visits during the year to European institutions in Brussels, including the European Commission and European Parliament, as a matter of course for Treasury business.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  to which EU Directives within his Department's areas of responsibility the Government has formally opted into in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive was signed; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what EU Directives within his Department's areas of responsibility have come into force without the need for an opt-in decision in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive came into force; and if he will make a statement.

Nicky Morgan: Details of all EU directives that the UK has opted into pursuant to protocol 21 to the treaties on the functioning of the European Union since May 2010 are listed on the Government's JHA opt-in web page. The website can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206297/2JHA_opt-in webpage_update_-_data_v0_1 .pdf
	Details of all EU legislation, including full details of all EU directives that have come into force since May 2010, can be found on the Commission's website:
	http://eur-lex.europa.eu/RECH_legislation.do
	In the Minister for Europe, the right hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington)’s written ministerial statement of 20 January 2011, Official Report, columns 51-52WS, the Government committed to a number of measures to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of JHA measures, in particular to make written statements to Parliament on each opt-in decision and to set aside Government time for debates in both Houses in circumstances where there is particularly strong parliamentary interest in an opt-in decision.

Housing: Prices

Hywel Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on implementing of a house price growth cap of five per cent annually.

Kris Hopkins: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.
	We have no plans to introduce a house price cap. More broadly, I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 7 November 2013, Official Report, House of Lords, column 70WA, on what the Government is doing to increase housing supply and ensure financial stability.

Mortgages: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applicants in each group have applied for the Help to Buy scheme in Warrington North constituency.

Sajid Javid: The Government is committed to making the aspiration of home ownership a reality for as many households as possible. The Government wants current and future generations to experience the benefits of owning their own home, in the same way their parents were able to. Since the financial crisis, larger deposit requirements and falling equity values mean many credit-worthy households cannot get a mortgage, or are trapped in their existing homes unable to take the next steps.
	On 8 October, the Government published the scheme rules for the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme. Lenders are now able to sign up to the Scheme and originate mortgages that will be eligible for the scheme when it opens in January.
	The Government has worked with participating banks to collect data on the first month of the Scheme. Details of the applications received by the banks can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/news/help-to-buy-puts-new-generation-of-home-owners-on-housing-ladder
	Once the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme opens in January, the Government will collect data on mortgages covered by the guarantee, and will report in due course.

New Towns

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had on the potential construction of a new town within the boundaries of the Mid Bedfordshire constituency;
	(2)  what his policy is on promoting economic growth by building an entirely new town in the south east of England.

Danny Alexander: The Government does not currently have any plans to construct a new town.

Pay: Wales

Hywel Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Welsh Government on the living wage.

Danny Alexander: Treasury Ministers and officials receive a wide variety of representations from both the organisations in the public and private sectors.
	Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm
	The Government supports businesses that choose to pay a living wage where it is affordable. However, decisions on what wages to set, above the national minimum wage, are for employers and workers.

Poverty: Children

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to publish forecasts of child poverty during the present Parliament.

Nicky Morgan: holding answer 11 November 2013
	The Government does not forecast the number of children in poverty. However the Government wants to develop better measures of child poverty which include, but go beyond income to provide a more accurate picture of the reality of child poverty.

Press: Subscriptions

Michael Dugher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which newspapers, periodicals and trade profession publications his private ministerial office subscribes to on a (a) daily, (b) weekly, (c) monthly and (d) quarterly basis.

Nicky Morgan: Under this Government the Department has reduced spending on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession publications by 73% compared to the final year of the previous Administration—a fall of £139,003:
	
		
			  Spend (£) 
			 2007-08 142,601 
			 2008-09 128,237 
			 2009-10 189,560 
			 2010-11 62,348 
			 2011-12 41,753 
			 2012-13 50,557 
		
	
	The following list gives the newspapers, periodicals and trade profession publications subscribed to by the private ministerial office of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the frequency of those subscriptions:
	Daily:
	Financial Times
	The Independent
	The Guardian
	Daily Mail
	Daily Express
	Daily Mirror
	The Sun
	The Times
	Daily Telegraph
	International Herald Tribune
	Weekly:
	Private Eye
	Economist
	New Statesman
	The Spectator
	Monthly:
	None
	Quarterly:
	None
	Sunday only:
	Sunday Times
	The Observer
	Sunday Telegraph
	Independent on Sunday
	Mail on Sunday
	Sunday Express
	Sunday Mirror
	Monday to Friday only:
	Daily Star

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people employed by his Department hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if he will make a statement.

Nicky Morgan: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Recruitment

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new staff his Department has employed under (a) fixed-term contracts and (b) short-term contracts since May 2010.

Nicky Morgan: The Treasury has employed a total number of 206 new staff under fixed term contracts since 1 May 2010. The Department does not employ people under short-term contracts outside of fixed term contracts.

Science: Research

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the longer length of the investment cycle in the life sciences on measuring the economic effect of the Life Sciences Investment Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

Nicky Morgan: There is no assessment of the effect of the longer length of the investment cycle in the life sciences on measuring the economic effect of the Life Science Investment Organisation (LSIO) UKTI will determine how to measure the economic effect of LSIO once it has a track record to evaluate.

Science: Research

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has had with UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) on how best to measure the (a) amount of foreign direct investment and (b) number of jobs generated by (i) UKTI and (ii) the Life Sciences Investment Organisation.

Nicky Morgan: Treasury officials have regular discussions with UKTI on its performance, and on a wide variety of topics, as part of the process and policy development.
	The measurement of foreign direct investment is undertaken by the Office for National Statistics using an established method based on international standards. UKTI collects its own information on the inward investment projects that it is involved with, which includes information on jobs. This is explained on page 81 of UKTI's annual report and accounts 2012-13.

Taxation: Republic of Ireland

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the net effect on revenue collected by HM Revenue and Customs of taxation agreements between the UK and Ireland.

Nicky Morgan: Given the long time-scales, complex and shifting interactions with domestic law, large and unpredictable behavioural effects and the lack of a sensible comparator, it is not possible to produce meaningful estimates of the revenue effects of double taxation agreements and successive Governments have never attempted it.

UK Membership of EU

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of a decision for the UK to leave the EU in his Department's area of responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

Nicky Morgan: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W, to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds). The Department has not made any plans for the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

Unemployment: Young People

Iain McKenzie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the effect of fiscal policy on the level of youth unemployment.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 18 November 2013
	The UK labour market is showing some signs of recovery. Youth unemployment excluding those in full-time education fell on the quarter, while the number of young people claiming JSA is lower now than it was in 2010.
	This Government is committed to supporting long-term unemployed young people, which is why we launched the Youth Contract in April 2012. This will help half a million young people into employment.

Visits Abroad

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many overseas trips, and at what total cost, his Department made in each year since 2010; and what the costs of (a) flights, (b) internal travel, (c) hotel accommodation and (d) subsistence were of each trip.

Nicky Morgan: holding answer 11 November 2013
	Information on overseas travel and its associated costs is not readily available within our accounting system in the format requested; to attempt to extract this information would be of disproportionate cost.
	However details relating to spend on overseas air travel since 2008 is provided as follows.
	
		
			  £ 
			 2008-09 817,207 
			 2009-10 785,463 
			 2010-11 429,163 
			 2011-12 500,282 
			 2012-13 634,538 
		
	
	Under this Government the Department has reduced spending on overseas air travel by 19% compared to the final year of the previous Administration.
	Additionally there are two publications which are published as part of the Government's commitment to transparency which contain information on travel and subsistence for senior officials and Ministers.
	These can be found on the Gov.uk website following the links shown:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/senior-officials-expenses
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many debts arising from overpayment of tax credits were transferred to debt collection agencies in (a) Portsmouth South constituency, (b) Hampshire and (c) England in each month in each of the last five years.

Nicky Morgan: This information is not available centrally, and could be researched only at disproportionate cost.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate Change Levy

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 31 October 2013, Official Report, columns 568-70W, on climate change levy, what proportion of the £8,054 million levy control framework allowance available to new entrants between 2015 and 2021 he estimates will be available in each year between 2015 and 2021, in 2011-12 prices.

Michael Fallon: Our current estimate of expenditure on feed-in tariffs (FITs) for 2012-13 is around £477 million, in £2011-12 prices. Final figures for 2012-13 will be published in December 2013. Our current estimate of expenditure under the renewables obligation (RO) for 2014-15 is £2,796 million, in £2011-12 prices. These figures are our best estimates of the committed expenditure under the LCF for 2015 onwards.
	The Levy Control Framework profile rises from £4.3 billion in 2015-16 to £7.6 billion in 2020-21.
	The following table shows the proportions of total expenditure under the LCF that are therefore remaining for new entrants under FITs (from 2013-14 onwards), the RO (from 2015-16 onwards), contracts for difference (CfDs) and final investment decision enabling for renewables (FIDeR).
	These are our best estimates of expenditure that is already committed, based on projects we expect to be supported under FITs in 2012/13, and under the RO in 2014-15. 2014-15 expenditure for the RO is committed, because we have set the renewables obligation on electricity suppliers for that year. If more (or less) capacity comes forward under either scheme, then in future years the total committed expenditure will be more (or less) than set out in the following table.
	
		
			 2011-12 prices 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 
			 FITs expenditure (£ million) 477 477 477 477 477 477 
			 RO expenditure (£ million) 2,796 2,796 2,796 2,796 2,796 2,796 
			 Total estimated committed expenditure (£ million) 3,273 3,273 3,273 3,273 3,273 3,273 
			 LCF profile (£ million) 4,300 4,900 5,600 6,450 7,000 7,600 
			 Total remaining LCF profile for new entrants (£ million) 1,027 1,627 2,327 3,177 3,727 4,327 
			 Percentage remaining for new entrants 23.9 33.2 41.6 49.3 53.2 56.9 
		
	
	The figures will be a slight underestimate of committed expenditure, because projects coming on line in 2012-13 for FITs and 2014-15 for the RO will not receive a full year of support, reflecting that they are only generating for part of the year. Projects will receive a full year of support from 2013-14 for FITs and 2015-16 for the RO. Therefore, the estimated total support committed under each scheme will be slightly higher than the figures given here.

Energy: Billing

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the number of energy customers who choose to pay for energy online.

Michael Fallon: Data on customer numbers by tariff are supplied to DECC by the main energy suppliers. DECC estimates that around 19% of both electricity and gas customers are on online tariffs.

Energy: Hampshire

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what change in energy bills for households in (a) Portsmouth South constituency and (b) Hampshire there has been in each of the last five years.

Michael Fallon: The change in energy bills in each of the last five years is shown in the table. The Portsmouth South constituency and the county of Hampshire are both within the Southern Public Electricity Supply (PES) electricity supply region and the Southern Gas Local Distribution Zone (LDZ) gas supply area, with the same prices charged throughout this region.
	
		
			  Average annual energy bill in southern region (£) Change from previous year (£) 
			 2008 1,005 — 
			 2009 1,111 105 
			 2010 1,081 -30 
			 2011 1,168 87 
			 2012 1,277 110 
		
	
	These data are taken by combining annual bill estimates for electricity and gas from Tables 2.2.3 and 2.3.3 of DECC's publication Quarterly Energy Prices (QEP), assuming an annual consumption of 3,300 kWh for electricity and 18,000 kWh for gas. Provisional annual bill estimates for 2013 will be published in December's edition of QEP on 19 December 2013.

Hinkley Point C Power Station

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will publish details of the due diligence test being applied by Infrastructure UK to the proposals put forward by EDF Energy to qualify the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant project for financial guarantees.

Danny Alexander: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Treasury.
	For projects to be considered for prequalification under the UK Guarantees scheme they must provide commercially sensitive information. This information cannot be published as non-disclosure agreements have been signed with all prequalified projects, as is normal practice in project financing.

Housing: Insulation

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many installations of (a) loft insulation, (b) cavity wall insulation and (c) solid wall insulation there were between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2013.

Gregory Barker: The number of retro-fit installations of cavity wall, loft and solid wall insulation through Government schemes between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2013 are as follows:
	cavity wall insulation: 340,000;
	loft insulation: 870,000;
	solid wall insulation: 65,000.
	Source
	Estimates of homes insulation levels in Great Britain:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/estimates-of-home-insulation-levels-in-great-britain

Radioactive Waste

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the percentage incremental increase in (a) radioactivity and (b) volume of radioactive waste earmarked for a national geological disposal facility if 16GW of new nuclear generating capacity is added in the nuclear new build programme; and if he will set out the basis for the calculation in each case.

Michael Fallon: The Government's most recent estimates of the impact of radioactive waste from a nuclear new build programme on the geological disposal facility (GDF) were prepared as an input into the preparation of the waste transfer contract for Hinkley Point C. This information will be made public when the contract is finalised.
	The UK Government and devolved Administrations for Wales and Northern Ireland published a White Paper in June 2008 outlining a framework for the implementation of geological disposal of higher activity wastes (HAW) in the UK.
	The MRWS White Paper provides an estimate of HAW—the ‘Baseline Inventory’. The Baseline Inventory is based on the quantities of radioactive wastes and materials reported in the 2007 UK Radioactive Waste Inventory (RWI).
	Since publication of the White Paper, there have been a number of changes which have impacted on the Baseline Inventory. In 2010, the RWI was updated, available at:
	http://www.nda.gov.uk/ukinventory/
	which led to a reappraisal of the Baseline Inventory and development of a complementary Upper Inventory based on a number of scenarios designed to describe how the Baseline Inventory could evolve (including ILW and spent fuel from 10GW(e) new build reactors, operating for 60 years). The new build contribution to the Upper Inventory is estimated at an additional 25,000 m(3) intermediate level radioactive waste (ILW), and 20,000 m(3) Spent Fuel, see:
	http://www.nda.gov.uk/documents/upload/An-explanation-of-the-differences-between-the-2007-derived-inventory-and-equivalent-wastes-and-materials-in-the-2010-UK-Radioactive-Waste-Inventory.pdf
	Estimates of the radioactivity of waste from new nuclear power stations were made as part of the regulators' Generic Design Assessment process. We do not currently have figures comparing the radioactivity of new build waste with legacy waste, although qualitative arguments would suggest the activity per GW(e) will be less than existing reactors.
	Updated figures are expected to be included in the 2013 Radioactive Waste Inventory, which we expect to publish in January 2014.

Secondment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many private sector employees have been seconded by the private sector to his Department; what the name was of the company from which they were seconded; and whether any of those employees have worked on drafting legislation.

Gregory Barker: Since October 2008, our central electronic records show that a total of 66 private sector employees have been seconded to the Department of Energy and Climate Change. The following table indicates the companies involved and how many people have been seconded from each company.
	
		
			 Company Number of secondees 
			 National Grid 8 
			 Deloitte LLP 4 
			 Pinsent Masons LLP 3 
			 Ernst and Young LLP 3 
			 Elexon 3 
			 Rolls Royce 3 
			 IBM 2 
			 EDF 2 
			 KPMG LLP 2 
			 Shell 2 
			 Energus 2 
			 Barclays Bank plc 1 
			 Pcubed 1 
			 MOHC 1 
			 ConocoPhillips (UK) Ltd 1 
			 Carillion plc 1 
			 Costain Ltd 1 
			 Jacobs Engineering 1 
			 AEA Technology 1 
			 British Telecom 1 
			 Dundas Wilson 1 
			 Policy Studies Institute 1 
			 Ecofys 1 
			 Centrica Energy 1 
			 Allen & Overy 1 
			 Jacobs Consultancy UK Ltd 1 
			 Atkins Ltd 1 
			 Bright Futures NZ Ltd 1 
			 Baker Tilly LLP 1 
			 Mount Wellington Mine Ltd 1 
			 UCL Energy Institute 1 
			 Parsons Brinkerhoff 1 
			 Addleshaw Goddard LLP 1 
			 Carbon War Room 1 
			 Bank of England 1 
			 RET—Australia 1 
			 ESB International 1 
			 RWE Npower Renewables 1 
			 Freshfields Braukhaus Deringer LLP 1 
			 Greenhill & Co. International LLP 1 
			 UK Petroleum Industries Association 1 
			 Energy People Ltd 1 
			 EnergySolutions 1 
			 Grand total 66 
		
	
	Our central records do not capture if a secondee was involved in assisting with the drafting legislation. Current business managers have been asked and have been able to confirm that 13 secondees have had limited input in drafting aspects of primary and secondary legislation. The following table details which companies these secondees have come from.
	
		
			 Company Number of secondees 
			 National Grid 2 
			 Shell 2 
			 Carbon War Room 1 
			 Mount Wellington Mine Ltd 1 
			 Jacobs Engineering 1 
			 Centrica Energy 1 
			 Bank of England 1 
			 Rolls Royce 1 
			 Addleshaw Goddard LLP 1 
			 Elexon 1 
			 ESB International 1 
			 Grand total 13

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to which EU Directives within his Department's areas of responsibility the Government has formally opted into in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive was signed; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: Details of all EU directives that the UK has opted into pursuant to protocol 21 to the treaties on the functioning of the European Union since May 2010 are listed on the Government's Justice and Home Affairs opt-in web page. The website can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206297/2_JHA_opt-in webpage update_-_data_v0_1.pdf
	In the written ministerial statement of 20 January 2011, Official Report, columns 51-52WS, by the Minister for Europe, the right hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), the Government committed to a number of measures to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of Justice and Home Affairs measures, in particular to make written statements to Parliament on each opt-in decision and to set aside Government time for debates in both Houses in circumstances where there is particularly strong parliamentary interest in an opt-in decision.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what EU Directives within his Department's areas of responsibility have come into force without the need for an opt-in decision in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive came into force; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: Details of all EU legislation, including full details of all EU directives that have come into force since May 2010, can be found on the Commission's website:
	http://eur-lex.europa.eu/RECH_legislation.do
	The Government's position is that the UK's Justice and Home Affairs opt-in applies to all measures adopted pursuant to Title V of part three of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union, as set out in protocol 21 to the treaty on the functioning of the European Union. It follows that the opt-in does not apply to measures adopted that are not pursuant to Title V of part three of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union.

Housing: Construction

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of new homes built in (a) Dorset and (b) England since May 2010.

Kris Hopkins: Statistics on house building completions by tenure in each local authority district, Dorset and England are published in the Department's live tables 253 (annual) and 253a (quarterly), which are available at the following link.
	http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building

Housing: Construction

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of new homes built in (a) Hampshire and (b) England since May 2010.

Kris Hopkins: Statistics on house building completions by tenure in each local authority district, Hampshire and England are published in the Department's live tables 253 (annual) and 253a (quarterly), which are available at the following link.
	http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of people who have used the Government's Help to Buy scheme in (a) Portsmouth South constituency, (b) Hampshire and (c) England to date.

Kris Hopkins: The Help to Buy equity loan scheme is a demand led scheme, which we anticipate will help up to 74,000 households into home ownership with investment of over £3.7 billion over the next three years. The Scheme is proving extremely popular and in the first six months alone has helped over 15,000 households reserve a newly built home.
	Publication of Help to Buy: equity loan sales data are governed by the UK Statistical Authority's Code of Practice for Official Statistics. My Department will be publishing data on sales in accordance with the code of practice on 21 November.
	On 8 October, the Government published the scheme rules for the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme. Lenders are now able to sign up to the Scheme and offer mortgages that will be eligible for the Scheme when it opens in January.
	The Government has worked with participating banks to collect data on the first month of the Scheme. A summary of the applications received by the banks can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/news/help-to-buy-puts-new-generation-of-home-owners-on-housing-ladder
	At present, local authority level data is not available.
	Once the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme opens in January, the Government will collect more detailed data on mortgages covered by the guarantee, and will report in due course.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arm's lengths bodies are paid less than the living wage; and how many direct employees of his Department are on zero hours contracts.

Michael Penning: The Department, all of its arm's length bodies and all of its contractors comply with the National Minimum Wage. This statutory minimum is set by the Government at a rate judged to provide the right balance between employee's earnings, the cost of their employment to employers, and also the level of employment in the UK, which is now at record levels. With significant pressure on public expenditure the Government's scope to go further is constrained. Nonetheless all of our London based staff continue to be paid more than the London Living Wage.
	All of our staff outside of London are paid above the National Minimum Wage. However 229 members of staff in DWP and 57 in arm's length bodies now earn below the new National Living Wage, the majority falling below the new hourly rate by 1p.
	We will continue to take Living Wage rates into account when considering our remit for the 2014-15 pay award.
	I can confirm that no people are employed by the Department for Work and Pensions on a zero-hour contract.

Public Expenditure

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what social impact bonds his Department has commissioned or co-funded to date; and how he is ensuring that information from such commissioning or co-funding is disseminated across his Department.

Esther McVey: To date, the Department's Youth Unemployment Innovation Fund has commissioned 10 Social Impact Bonds providing support to young people who are disadvantaged or at risk of disadvantage. Information on these Social Impact Bonds can be seen on the website:
	http://data.gov.uk/sib_knowledge_box/department-work-and-pensions-innovation-fund
	The emerging knowledge and best practice attained through the commissioning of these Social Impact Bonds is regularly shared across the Department, with other Government Departments and with interested external organisations looking to use such social investment approaches to help those experiencing disadvantage. For example, the lessons learned have been fed into the current review of the Department's Commissioning Strategy and is one of the case studies highlighted on the Centre for Social Impact Bonds website:
	https://www.gov.uk/social-impact-bonds
	The Innovation Fund will also be subject to a comprehensive and independent evaluation, which will be made publicly available.

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people employed by his Department hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: The facility to record educational qualifications on the Department's personal system is available to DWP employees on a voluntary basis. However, the system does not support recording qualifications at the level of detail requested therefore the information cannot be supplied.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Females: Executives

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what recent representations she has received on the number of women on the boards of FTSE 100 companies.

Jo Swinson: The Government supports Lord Davies' voluntary business-led approach for increasing the number of women in UK boardrooms and good progress is being made. Women now account for 19% of board members in our FTSE 100 companies up from 12.5% in February 2011.
	Ensuring women can fulfil their potential in the workplace is a key priority. The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), and I have hosted a number of sector based roundtables for the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 to listen to the challenges they face. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, the right hon. Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller), recently hosted a high level breakfast summit at Number 11 with the Chancellor and CEOs from the FTSE 250 and other key stakeholders to discuss how progress can be made to develop the pipeline of talent for executive roles and encourage further action.

JUSTICE

Crimes of Violence: Victim Support Schemes

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the support services available to witnesses of violent crime.

Damian Green: As part of its Transforming the CJS strategy and action plan (June 2013), the Ministry of Justice has committed to improving the consistency and take-up of special measures for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses, including witnesses to violent crime, to improve witness engagement with the criminal justice system. Some of the special measures include giving evidence behind a screen in court or from outside the courtroom via live video link, or in private in cases where the witness might be intimidated in court.
	The Ministry is reviewing the Witness Charter, a document that lays out the standards of care that all witnesses can expect to receive from service providers. Witnesses to serious crimes can expect to receive additional services, such as regular police updates and fixed dates for trials. Last month we also launched a new United Kingdom Protected Person Service to provide a better coordinated and accountable service for protected person, including witnesses, where there is a risk to life.

EU Institutions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many visits Ministers from his Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Shailesh Vara: The Minister of State for Justice, Lord McNally, visited both the European Commission and the European Parliament in a visit to Brussels on 18-19 September 2012. He also visited the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 21-23 May of this year.
	The Secretary of State for Justice has attended the Justice and Home Affairs Council, where members of the European Commission and European Parliament have been present.
	Details of JHA Council meetings attended by the Secretary of State for Justice can be found at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/corporate-reports
	Quarters from September 2013 will be published in due course.

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  whether Council Framework Decision 2001/413/JHA has required any alteration to law or practice in the UK;
	(2)  whether the UK complies with all the requirements of Council Framework Decision 2000/383/JHA, as amended; and whether the Government intends to maintain the laws implementing these requirements once the Framework Decision ceases to bind the UK.

Damian Green: No alteration to law or practice in the UK has been required as a result of Council Framework Decision 2001/413/JHA. Long before this Framework Decision, the UK had robust laws in this respect.
	The Government considers that existing domestic law meets the requirements of the Framework Decision 2000/383/JHA, as amended, and provides the appropriate domestic sanctions for forgery and counterfeiting. It is important that we maintain legislation to deal with this significant criminal activity.

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the possible financial implications of opting out of each of the police and criminal justice measures in the third pillar of the EU treaties; and if he will make a statement.

Damian Green: On 9 July 2013, Official Report, columns 177-180, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), announced to Parliament that the Government intended to exercise the UK's opt-out under the Lisbon Treaty and seek to rejoin a package of 35 police and criminal justice measures which are in the UK's national interest. Following debates and votes in both Houses of Parliament the Prime Minister wrote to the President of the Council of Ministers on 24 July to provide formal notification that the Government has decided to exercise its right, provided for by Article 10(4) of Protocol 36 to the Treaties, to opt out of all pre-Lisbon police and criminal justice measures.
	The Government has committed to providing Parliament with an Impact Assessment on the final list of measures that the UK will apply to rejoin. This will be done in good time ahead of the second vote on this matter and contain all relevant information.

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many visits the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in his Department made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Damian Green: The current Permanent Secretary, Dame Ursula Brennan DCB, visited the European Commission once in July 2013, as one of a number of Permanent Secretaries and delegations from Government Departments. The previous MOJ Permanent Secretary, Sir Suma Chakrabarti KCB, had not visited the European Commission between 2010 and leaving office in 2012.
	We have interpreted the four next most senior civil servants to be the longest serving MOJ directors general, and can confirm that none has visited the European Commission in the periods covered.

Human Trafficking: Victim Support Schemes

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions his Department has had with organisations which provide care to victims of trafficking about how they can contribute to formulation of any new legislation on modern slavery.

Damian Green: The Ministry of Justice is responsible for managing a contract, currently run by the Salvation Army, to co-ordinate and manage the provision of support and assistance to adult victims of human trafficking.
	The Department has encouraged the Salvation Army and it sub-contractors to contribute to the evidence sessions, being led by the right hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr Field) on the development of the Modern Slavery Bill,

Human Trafficking: Victim Support Schemes

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  which organisations which currently provide services under contract to his Department to provide care for victims of trafficking have been contacted by officials in his Department in the last quarter;
	(2)  whether organisations which currently provide services under contract to his Department to provide care for victims of trafficking have been instructed or advised by officials in his Department not to comment on the policies and practice of his Department.

Damian Green: Ministry of Justice officials are in regular contact with the Salvation Army—which holds the Government contract to support both male and female victims of human trafficking—to co-ordinate and monitor the provision of support and assistance to adult victims of human trafficking.
	The contract is aimed at helping some of the most vulnerable people in society, and protecting their safety and security is our primary concern.
	Given the sensitive nature of the contract, the Salvation Army and the Ministry of Justice have a standard agreement in place to inform each other if and when they intend to carry out any publicity around the functioning of the contract. This does not affect the Salvation Army's ability to comment on wider Departmental policy in any way.
	MOJ and Home Office provided £3 million last year to support victims of human trafficking to recover and move on with their lives. Since July 2011 the Government contract has allowed the Salvation Army to support almost 1,000 victims from over 43 different countries.

Judges: County Courts

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer of 30 November 2012, Official Report, column 543W, on judges: county courts, what the identity of each county court was in relation to each judge in respect of which any direction was provided authorising the judge to sit pursuant to section 5(3) of the County Courts Act 1984 between 1 January 2007 and 1 November 2013.

Shailesh Vara: The details for the judges listed in the answer of 30 November 2012 are provided in the following table; this table provides details of those courts the judges were initially authorised to sit. In accordance with the provisions of s.5(3) of the County Courts Act 1984, as amended by the Crime and Courts Act 2013 (CC&A), all High Court Judges are automatically authorised to sit in the county court. Prior to the implementation of the CC&A the Lord Chancellor was consulted by the Lord Chief Justice in February 2013 and he agreed that all High Court Judges should be authorised to sit in the county court pending Royal Assent being given to the CC&A.
	
		
			 Names of those approved and year authorisation granted Court 
			 Sir Nicholas Underhill authorised in 2007 Kingston Upon Hull County Court 
			 Sir David Bean authorised in 2008 Central London County Court 
			 Sir Kim Lewison authorised in 2010 Patents County Court 
			 Sir Christopher Floyd authorised in 2010 Patents County Court 
			 Sir Anthony Mann authorised in 2010 Patents County Court 
			 Sir Nicholas Warren authorised in 2010 Patents County Court 
			 Sir David Kitchin authorised in 2010 Patents County Court 
			 Sir Paul Morgan authorised in 2010 Patents County Court 
			 Sir Alastair Norris authorised in 2010 Patents County Court 
			 Sir Richard Arnold authorised in 2010 Patents County Court 
			 Dame Sonia Proudman authorised in 2010 All County Courts to enable a case with civil jurisdiction to be heard in the Chancery Division 
			 Sir Michael Briggs authorised in 2012 Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle County Courts

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many officials at what grades are employed to provide direct support to special advisers in his Department.

Shailesh Vara: The special advisers receive direct support from one member of staff at Band D level. This member of staff provides administrative support and manages the special advisers’ diaries, in addition to carrying out other duties in the Justice Secretary's private office.

Prisons: Vandalism

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the current annual cost of damage to prison property by inmates; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service's central accounting system does not capture the costs of damage to prison property caused by prisoners. To obtain the information requested would involve a survey of all prisons which could be done only at a disproportionate cost. Costs associated with such damages are captured within the local establishment maintenance expenditure.
	We have introduced amendments to the prison rules and young offender institution rules which took effect on 1 November. The changes require individual prisoners to pay compensation for the destruction or damage they cause to prisons and prison property and to allow governors to take monies directly from prisoners' private cash, savings and spend accounts to satisfy the compensation requirement.
	The introduction of the new policy will allow NOMS to record all compensation awards received from prisoners as a result of damage caused to prison property.
	Further information is available on the following link;
	PSI 31/2013—Recovery of monies for damage to prisons and prison property
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/offenders/psipso/psi-2013/psi-31-2013.doc

Reoffenders

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders were recalled to prison after their release in each probation service in each month since May 2010 to the latest month for which figures are available.

Jeremy Wright: It is vital to public protection that offenders released on licence should be effectively supervised in the community and swiftly recalled to custody if their behaviour gives cause for concern. Offender managers explain to offenders, including at the commencement of their period of licensed supervision in the community, that they may be recalled to custody if they breach any of the conditions of their licence.
	The time an offender spends on licence is an integral part of their sentence and we have robust enforcement arrangements in place to recall offenders who breach their licence conditions. There are approximately 5, 000 recalled prisoners in custody at any given time.
	The following tables show the number of offenders recalled to prison in each probation trust in each month from January 2012 to June 2013 and in each quarter from April 2010 to December 2011 (monthly figures are not available for this earlier period).
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	
		
			 Number of offenders recalled from determinate and indeterminate sentences, by Local Criminal Justice Board, 1 April 2010 to 31 December 2011, England and Wales 
			  2010 2011 
			  April to June July to September October to December January to March April to June July to September October to December 
			 Avon and Somerset 105 140 110 129 128 109 103 
			 Bedfordshire 48 54 55 37 37 44 54 
			 Cambridgeshire 39 52 46 50 46 39 49 
			 Cheshire 52 58 60 52 46 52 54 
			 Cleveland/Teesside 55 49 50 51 41 44 43 
			 Cumbria 29 51 30 32 39 29 28 
			 Derbyshire 73 85 98 81 83 90 73 
			 Devon and Cornwall 56 76 91 85 74 95 86 
			 Dorset 29 39 30 34 41 53 31 
			 Durham and Darlington 37 48 50 55 36 63 57 
			 Dyfed Powys 16 17 15 10 21 16 20 
			 Essex 68 85 84 75 74 83 62 
			 Gloucestershire 33 35 33 36 43 44 45 
			 Greater Manchester 264 294 312 233 265 314 307 
			 Gwent 46 43 50 37 36 36 32 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 88 95 101 95 93 85 96 
			 Hertfordshire 31 33 41 28 35 38 36 
			 Humberside 103 95 82 94 106 90 93 
			 Kent 102 93 85 98 81 106 84 
			 Lancashire 114 116 105 117 124 146 135 
			 Leicestershire 68 74 73 72 80 63 75 
			 Lincolnshire 31 28 29 41 32 40 32 
		
	
	
		
			 London 603 696 614 604 662 747 608 
			 Merseyside 141 129 104 106 126 128 107 
			 Norfolk 42 40 40 26 48 33 42 
			 North Wales 32 34 41 53 43 52 55 
			 North Yorkshire 33 39 35 35 24 29 36 
			 Northamptonshire 47 52 46 39 61 50 53 
			 Northumbria 108 133 101 106 105 126 115 
			 Nottinghamshire 126 141 128 122 156 132 124 
			 South Wales 140 142 147 161 177 182 180 
			 South Yorkshire 160 146 116 123 118 138 142 
			 Staffordshire 71 77 70 63 82 83 79 
			 Suffolk 37 34 26 27 32 30 28 
			 Surrey 29 30 38 27 30 33 35 
			 Sussex 84 71 84 68 89 98 76 
			 Thames Valley 96 108 82 113 100 121 112 
			 Warwickshire 28 25 24 14 30 27 25 
			 West Mercia 50 51 46 55 47 50 53 
			 West Midlands 252 307 261 257 287 313 281 
			 West Yorkshire 201 218 187 255 237 277 248 
			 Wiltshire 28 22 27 22 21 25 23 
			 All 3,795 4,155 3,847 3,818 4,036 4,353 4,017 
			 Data sources and quality: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. 
		
	
	
		
			 Number of offenders recalled from determinate and indeterminate sentences, by probation trust, 1 January 2012 to 30 June 2013, England and Wales 
			  2012 
			  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep 
			 Avon and Somerset 38 23 41 27 37 47 37 41 35 
			 Bedfordshire 17 15 15 11 15 15 25 23 12 
			 Cambridgeshire 22 7 17 9 19 13 19 15 12 
			 Cheshire 23 9 22 16 16 11 31 19 16 
			 Cumbria 16 10 13 9 12 12 9 8 11 
			 Derbyshire 30 20 30 19 21 18 23 26 23 
			 Devon and Cornwall 35 24 34 18 33 18 24 25 16 
			 Dorset 18 17 12 12 22 14 16 17 9 
			 Durham Tees Valley 41 37 41 42 50 45 32 36 26 
			 Essex 22 21 27 21 19 24 23 26 26 
			 Gloucestershire 10 9 14 10 17 11 9 13 12 
			 Greater Manchester 91 103 103 80 94 99 110 104 94 
			 Hampshire 31 33 31 26 42 29 34 28 22 
			 Hertfordshire 18 10 15 10 12 12 10 17 15 
			 Humberside 27 31 21 28 32 35 37 31 29 
			 Kent 27 31 42 24 39 19 25 37 26 
			 Lancashire 65 29 53 48 40 50 53 50 28 
			 Leicestershire 26 20 23 18 23 24 31 24 21 
			 Lincolnshire 11 13 11 9 17 11 16 11 12 
			 London 242 212 246 208 234 211 222 236 214 
			 Merseyside 41 47 51 37 52 43 59 63 46 
			 Norfolk and Suffolk 22 18 19 36 27 26 31 31 19 
			 North Yorkshire 13 4 11 8 13 3 11 9 15 
			 Northamptonshire 17 15 16 19 13 23 5 11 17 
			 Northumbria 34 51 37 39 32 27 54 41 26 
			 Nottinghamshire 40 26 49 26 45 59 45 44 30 
			 South Yorkshire 50 45 51 40 52 49 55 42 43 
			 Staffordshire and West Midlands 131 120 124 98 136 113 145 141 115 
			 Surrey and Sussex 34 41 47 34 49 32 41 43 29 
			 Thames Valley 38 30 32 39 33 44 41 33 38 
			 Wales 101 87 110 100 95 104 109 110 94 
			 Warwickshire 12 2 7 6 12 24 8 11 7 
			 West Mercia 16 8 16 14 20 10 20 23 14 
			 West Yorkshire 72 75 98 71 83 85 82 90 71 
			 Wiltshire 11 8 13 10 8 6 7 10 11 
		
	
	
		
			 All 1,442 1,251 1,492 1,222 1,464 1,366 1,499 1,489 1,234 
		
	
	
		
			  2012 2013 
			  Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun 
			 Avon and Somerset 38 37 40 32 33 45 43 45 43 
			 Bedfordshire 20 15 16 24 15 15 21 33 15 
			 Cambridgeshire 12 13 16 13 16 11 12 18 10 
			 Cheshire 16 17 11 11 20 17 21 22 23 
			 Cumbria 12 2 8 8 11 10 7 18 9 
			 Derbyshire 18 28 20 27 20 20 23 26 24 
			 Devon and Cornwall 29 25 18 23 23 27 30 18 21 
			 Dorset 15 11 9 13 18 12 13 21 12 
			 Durham Tees Valley 34 40 37 38 34 34 23 46 37 
			 Essex 19 31 15 35 19 26 24 23 27 
			 Gloucestershire 7 13 12 15 10 6 3 10 11 
			 Greater Manchester 101 110 92 91 97 104 120 115 107 
			 Hampshire 35 36 24 22 33 26 20 34 31 
			 Hertfordshire 22 17 12 12 13 15 13 17 17 
			 Humberside 39 34 29 29 31 24 23 46 26 
			 Kent 26 31 28 21 29 36 29 39 42 
			 Lancashire 59 48 46 42 47 43 44 50 39 
			 Leicestershire 20 22 22 20 22 30 19 28 23 
			 Lincolnshire 8 12 4 15 12 9 8 12 10 
			 London 228 224 198 205 204 220 213 207 215 
			 Merseyside 39 38 47 34 46 41 57 57 43 
			 Norfolk and Suffolk 22 24 21 29 20 33 21 25 25 
			 North Yorkshire 16 14 14 8 12 14 18 8 11 
			 Northamptonshire 12 14 22 11 18 14 15 16 17 
			 Northumbria 45 38 29 33 29 40 35 40 42 
			 Nottinghamshire 34 45 21 52 42 39 45 54 42 
			 South Yorkshire 44 39 33 34 53 44 61 48 57 
			 Staffordshire and West Midlands 149 121 104 100 130 131 121 143 124 
			 Surrey and Sussex 41 43 44 57 43 33 33 42 46 
			 Thames Valley 46 38 39 39 46 36 40 55 55 
			 Wales 102 90 56 87 86 86 106 102 125 
			 Warwickshire 12 11 8 10 9 13 8 13 9 
			 West Mercia 24 20 15 26 7 14 21 16 22 
			 West Yorkshire 72 83 72 87 84 89 79 80 71 
			 Wiltshire 19 12 9 9 3 7 8 5 8 
			 All 1,435 1,396 1,191 1,312 1,335 1,364 1,377 1,532 1,439 
			 Data sources and quality: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Secondment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many private sector employees have been seconded by the private sector to his Department; what the name was of the company from which they were seconded; and whether any of those employees have worked on drafting legislation.

Shailesh Vara: Information held on the Ministry of Justice's central systems indicates that there were no secondees from the private sector in the Ministry, including its agencies, as at 30 September 2013.

Witnesses: Children

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what progress HM Courts and Tribunal Service has made in developing a method to assess and score the facilities of each court in England and Wales; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which this development would make provision of better services to vulnerable child witnesses;
	(2)  what plans he has to make more use of video links and other technology in the courts to improve the experience of young and vulnerable witnesses in the criminal justice system.

Shailesh Vara: There are a number of actions HMCTS is taking in order to improve the experience of young and vulnerable witnesses in the criminal justice system.
	For the first time we are going to spare vulnerable victims and witnesses from the aggressive and intimidating court atmosphere by pre-recording evidence and cross-examination before the trial starts, to then be played in court. This will help witnesses give their best possible evidence to bring offenders to justice.
	This new approach will be piloted at three crown court centres—Leeds, Liverpool and Kingston-upon-Thames—and make use of advanced video link technology, with the intention of rolling it out more widely if it proves to be successful.
	HM Courts and Tribunal Service has not developed a method to score the facilities of each courtroom in England and Wales, however, our most recent audit of facilities in magistrates’ and crown court centres shows that there are 1517 waiting facilities dedicated to witnesses.
	Over the past two years we have increased our capacity to receive evidence virtually in the courtrooms through expanding and refreshing our video equipment. We now have the ability to receive evidence over a video link in all crown court centres and in 90% of magistrates courts.